Fish to flourish as work begins on historic millpond
Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) is tackling one of its biggest challenges as part of an ambitious scheme to bring fish back to the Severn. The environmental and nature-based charity has teamed up with the Wildlife & Wetlands Trust (WWT), the Severn Rivers Trust and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group to restore the historic Arundel Mill pond, near Capel’s Mill, Stroud.
The scheme involves dredging the mill pond and creating some new islands with the silt and installing a new eel pass at the sluice gates which will also be restored.
Clare Mahdiyone, SVP chief executive explained, ‘The Severn is one of the most important rivers in Britain for migratory fish, especially critically endangered species such as the European Eel. Our project is part of a much bigger scheme to help clear obstacles for eel and fish migration all along the Frome Valley.’
SVP have owned the mill pond since 1988 and have dredged the pond before, but now this new project gives the opportunity to make major improvements. These include a viewing platform for school children to use for pond dipping and comprehensive information boards explaining the importance of the mill pond and associated wildlife. The cost of the project is £160,000 and work is due to start on 28th June 2021.
UPDATE: The eel pass was successfully completed in November 2022.
“In the past, the lower Severn Vale Waterscape would have provided a large area of high quality and well-connected habitat for fish. However, low-lying land reclamation and flood control measures have left many wetlands inaccessible. Further up the catchment area, access to key tributaries of the Severn is blocked by a large number of obsolete industrial structures such as weirs and mills. A combination of habitat loss, habitat degradation and man-made barriers have resulted in large-scale reductions in the number of migratory fish able to access and use the Severn Vale Waterscape. WWT are proud to be working with local partners to help bring life back to the Severn Vale catchment.”
23 June 2021